Station-indicator



(No Model.)

STATION INDICATOR.

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INVENTOR V ATTORNEYS.

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. sition whereit can be plainly seen.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. GEORGE FRANCIS ROBERTSON, OF TAYLORSVILLE, KENTUCKY.

STATION-INDICATOR.

' SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 279,436, dated June12, 1883.

Application filed March 17, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. ROBERTSON, of Taylorsville, in the countyof Spencer and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Station and Street Indicators, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for use onrailway-cars for indicating stations, or on street-cars for showing thenames of streets as they are passed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the indicator as arranged for use.Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the ratchet mechanism in larger size.Fig. 3 is a top view of the ratchet mechanism with a portion of theupper roller. Fig. 4. is a front view of the same parts, with theinclosing-case in section. Figs. 5 and 6 represent modifications.

The mechanism is contained in a suitable case, A, that is to be placedin the car in po- In the side of the case is a transverse opening, a, atwhich the name of the station or street will be displayed, the openingsbeing preferably covered with glass, and the case will be also providedwith a door for giving access to the mechanism.

B is an upper and G is a lower roller contained in case A.

b b are endless belts passing around the rol ers, and c c are slats ofWood or other material attached to belts b, so as to form an endlessbelt of hinged flaps, having upon them the names of stations or streetsin proper order, which can be brought in succession behind the opening aby the rotation of the rollers.

The operating mechanism is fitted in connection with the upper roller,and consists as follows:

D D are ratchet-wheels fixed side by side a short distance apart up onthe axle d of the roller, and with their teeth in reverse of each other.The teeth are preferably in length about the width of slat c.

E is an arm or pawl carrier hung loosely on shaft (1, and carrying on apin, 6, two pawls, e e, that each engage one of the wheels D. The

pawl-carrier is provided with abalance-weight, v

' of pawl-carrier E, fi'om which the cord passes in opposite directionsthrough the case Ato the ends of the car or other suitable place foroperation by the brakeman.

. In place of using a rope, the arm E may be fitted for movement by alever arranged to move.

the arm in either direction. On streetcars that are turned end for endat the end of the route the lever would be preferable.

In the operation of the apparatus the rope is to be pulled to move thepawl-carrier in one direction as each street or station is reached tothe end of the route, and the movement reversed on the return trip. Thismovement of the pawl-carrier causes the movement of the upper roller byengagement of one pawl with one of the wheels D, and the slats c arethus moved in succession to the opening a. The movement is limited bythe length of the slot in arm h, and

the pin 2, which arrests the movement when the end of the slot isreached. The arm h is formed with shoulders m beneath the pawls e, whichact, when the carrier is moved, to raise the pawl not in use and hold itup until the return movement is nearly completed, so that backwardmovement shall not be given to the roller by that pawl acting on itswheel. The return movement is caused by the balance weight as soon asthe rope is released. It will be seen that the movement is thusautomatically regulated and accuracy insured. In place of usingprojections m for raising the pawls, the arm it may be formed, as shownin Fig. 6, with holes n, in which pin s o are insert ed, the pinsextending beneath the pawls and raising them sooner or later accordingto the adjusting of the pins in the holes. When more slats are requiredthey can be carried in a case of convenient length, as arranged in Fig.1.

The arrangement may be as shown in Fig. 5, and the ratchet mechanismapplied to either of the rollers.

This apparatus is inexpensive. in construc- 5 tion and durable, as thereare no parts liable to get out of order. In place of using rollers forthe endless belts, reels may be used having bars corresponding in numberto the ratchetteeth, and formed to receive the slats between them.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent The combination, with the upper roller of theindicating mechanism and two ratchet-wheels, I5 D D, arranged side byside upon the rollershaft d, and having their teeth in reversedirections, of the arm E,hung loosely on said shaft, carrying on pin 6the two pawls e e, and balanced by a weight, f, the curved slotted braceg, carrying pin i, attached to case A and pass 20 ing between wheels Dunder the pawls e, the slotted arm h,having aslot in which the pin 13works passing through a slot in brace g,hung loosely on pin 6, and thecord Z, attachedto arm E and passing in opposite directions, as 25 andfor the purpose specified.

GEORGE FRANCIS ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. SHAW, ISAAC '1. COLLIER.

